Times of the Islands Winter 2019/20

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astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum This aerial image of Salt Cay reveals views of its historic buildings and salt ponds. Going Under Searching lost wrecks on Salt Cay. Story and Photos By Dr. Joost Morsink and Dr. Ruud Stelten South of Grand Turk, a small and sleepy island rests in the Atlantic Ocean: Salt Cay. With approximately 90 inhabitants on 2.6 square miles, this is the least populated of the main inhabited islands in the Turks & Caicos Islands. Tourists often bypass the island in favor of Grand Turk, Providenciales or other Caribbean islands, but the lucky ones who choose to visit Salt Cay discover unmatched tranquility, superb diving and whale watching, and beautiful and remote beaches. 60 www.timespub.tc
astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum From the 17th to the mid-20th centuries, the island was not bypassed. In fact, Bermudians sailed their ships over 800 miles every year to visit Salt Cay for its salt. Historically, salt was considered “white gold” because in the absence of refrigeration, salt provided one of the very few ways to preserve food. The interior of Salt Cay consisted of a large natural salt pan and in combination with strong tradewinds, hot days and little precipitation, Salt Cay culminated into an ideal environment for natural production of this precious product. Entrepreneurs as they were, the Bermudians targeted this island for economic production, building salt storage facilities along the shore and creating salt ponds with wind-powered pumps to increase production. The profitable salt industry left a mark on the island. In Spring 2019, we conducted archaeological field research on Salt Cay. Intrigued by the importance of this relatively common product, our intention was to create an inventory of archaeological sites on the island. In addition to the island’s visible remains, such as the houses and the salt pans, many archaeological sites have been obscured by the water. Underwater archaeological remains are testament to the importance of the maritime world to this island. Surrounded by the sea, Salt Cay functioned as a hub. To move people to the island, export salt and connect the island to a wider Caribbean context, a maritime focus was a must. Smaller vessels would come and go along the coast, moving goods on and off the island. Larger ships would set sail and deliver the salt to other Caribbean islands, the United States and even Europe. Rough seas, bad material, human error or just bad luck sometimes interfered, and vessels would not make it to their destination. With the loss of wealth or even life, these events were significant in the past. Yet over time, not all wrecks are remembered and stories are forgotten. Our goal is to find material evidence of these events, find out what happened, and revive these forgotten episodes. Dr. Ruud Stelten measures the North Point Wreck on Salt Cay. The ship is made of wood and its visible remains are approximately 33 feet long. Could it be the wreck of the Gustavus? Times of the Islands Winter 2019/20 61
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TIMES OF THE ISLANDS SAMPLING THE S
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TURKS & CAICOS Generation Everyone
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TurksAndCaicosProperty.com Mandalay
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Times of the Islands Winter 2019/20

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